I'll be honest I've been to plenty of drag shows at bars and clubs, and to a drag brunch at LIPS twice. Loved the experience, for all those but this was something else. In a HUGELY positive way! I got a breakfast burger with all the works, we're talking tomatoes lettuce, egg, etc. was it messy? Yes, but in a good way. It's all you can drink so baby drink up. And don't even get me started on the queens. Yes the place is semi smaller in comparison to maybe other drag brunches but that works in YOUR favor. The intimacy results in more attention for you! The queens were amazing, unique, and took personal requests. read more

Rise is basically a pillar of gay nightlife in Hell's Kitchen. It's the Cheers of NYC for the gays--no matter when you go, you're running into someone you know. When you walk in, you're in the original Rise space (still don't know how we used to pack in there like sardines every weekend). Head right and you'll hit Shine Lounge, which they added after expanding during COVID. They've got one of the best happy hours in the area--BOGO every day from 4-9pm. You get a card and can even use it on another visit if you don't finish it (just don't forget to tip). The doorman is super friendly and instantly recognizable by his voice.. if you know, you know. But they are strict about IDs, so don't even try it. Friday and Saturday nights are packed wall-to-wall, and somehow every night out ends here. Sunday Funday? Same story. They've got drag almost every night (except Fri/Sat), free bingo on Tuesdays, and honestly one of the best drag brunches in the city with fun themes. Food's served till 10 too. As nightlife in NYC keeps changing, Rise feels like one of the few spots that's always gonna be there. read more

Rise Bar - Chips and Salsa - Gay Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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My husband and I stopped in for a drink, but unfortunately had a very unpleasant experience at the door. A patron in front of us was searching through his bag, so we paused briefly to see what was causing the delay. The doorman abruptly scolded us, apparently assuming we were trying to cut ahead, which was completely unnecessary. A business, especially a gay-owned one, should make guests feel welcome not reprimanded. I never considered this a "go-to" place before, and after this experience, it's definitely a "never again." read more

A staple bar in HKs for sure. Always reliable, service is pretty decent for how busy this place is and staff members are friendly. I wish tabs wouldn't automatically close with every transaction, but not a huge determent for me. read more

Used to love this place, but a Drag Race viewing party with no drag host feels like a sign of where priorities are headed. Somehow there's always money for new TVs and upgrades, but not to pay local drag artists fairly? Queer spaces should uplift queer talent, not phase it out. read more

There was a comment here saying the dudes behind the back bar need an attitude adjustment--couldn't agree more. When I go into a bar, one of the first experiences is ordering your drink by a friendly bartender. You don't get this feeling here. You literally have to scan them out to see if they're in a good mood or not to be friendly. Seems from reading the comments most people feel the same about certain two. This is Yelp, so use these comments to improve your business. read more

came here to celebrate my sons 21st bday and they did not disappoint. best drag show i've seen. It's a bottomless brunch but you can pick which drink package you want or if you don't drink you just need to order two drinks even if they are non alcoholic. I got the avocado toast it came with tater tots and I got a side of scrambled eggs. it was good, one won got the french toast says it was amazing. mt other won got the chicken sandwich he loved it and my cousin got the steak with eggs she also enjoyed it. or waiter was get attentive. and I felt they should automatically ass the gratuity. we had so much fun we laughed and danced the entertainment is amazing. 10/10. will definitely come again. read more

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We had a lot of fun at Drag Brunch at Rise. The show was funny and engaging! They had audience members come on stage to play some games. The atmosphere was lively and fun! The food was pretty solid. The tater tots were good! The drinks were fine but nothing special. They have boozy brunch package options. read more

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Such a fun drag brunch! The queens were fantastic & truly knew how to make it a party. Drinks were never half empty- the staff were phenomenal. Absolutely recommend! read more

So much fun! The food is pricey but really tasty. My niece had the French toast, which was sublime... almost as good as my chicken & waffles. The waffles had sweet colorful candy pearls in them, and the chicken was crisp, savory, and plentiful. Even the kale salad was delectable... and they are definitely not stingy with the tater tots. The show was a hoot and a half, and we all enjoyed. Not sure why they make everyone order 2 drinks when you're ordering food. But all in all, amazing. My nieces and nephew are all LGBT and it meant so much to share their first drag show! read more

Rise Bar NYC - A Hell's Kitchen Favorite! For over 10 years, Rise Bar NYC has been one of the best spots in Hell's Kitchen! From drag shows, DJs, and karaoke to amazing weekly events, it's the perfect place to grab drinks with friends--whether for happy hour (2-for-1 daily from 4-9 PM) or a late-night dance party! Shoutout to the incredible staff--Brian, Savar, Cloudio, Jay, Alex, and the whole team--for serving up great cocktails with a smile! Plus, with a dedicated security team, you'll always feel safe and welcomed. ‍ Big thanks to the management for creating this amazing space for our community, and to John Blair & his late partner, Beto, for their lasting impact. If you haven't been to Rise Bar, you're missing out--go support this amazing LGBTQ+ spot! #RiseBarNYC #Hellskitchen #LGBTQBar #DragShow #KaraokeNight #GayNYC #Nightlife #SupportLocal read more

Rise Bar - Gay Bars Near Me - New York, New York

One of the best dance disco gay bars in NYC. Been here multiple times and the DJ/music is always on point and poppin! The drinks, bouncers, bartenders are super duper nice and I even met Tracy, one of the managers! She's so so nice, and very friendly. It's always a good time here. read more

What an incredible drag brunch experience!! The queens were on fire, the drinks were flowing, the chicken n waffles were amazing! Cannot speak highly enough of the experience and our amazing waiter Josh! Can't wait to come back again! read more

Rise Bar - Gay Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Best 'going out' bar in HK, hands down. They also are really great with their daily happy hours. It's a hot spot in the neighborhood for a reason. read more

Such awful service, they took my REAL ID. called the cops, and the cops told them my ID was real. Those bouncers need to be trained better!!!!!! Not worth the trouble honestly, we just wanted to go somewhere close to home. Found out later I've had friends go there and say the vibes were abysmal. read more

Fabulous drag brunch. Welcoming community and great performers. Food was great and the atmosphere was awesome read more

Took my best friend here for a drag brunch for her birthday. Such a fun time! The location is nice, easy to find, and small which for a drag show is great. The drag queens were fabulous. They were beautiful, smart, funny, and very entertaining. Our waiter was also excellent and kept the drinks coming. We could barely take a sip without getting more. Food was pretty average but nothing bad, just nothing special. Totally recommend Rise Bar for their Sunday Drag Brunch! read more

Went for drag brunch - HIGHLY RECOMMEND! Food was tasty, diff unlimited drink packages to choose from, incredible performances from Egypt & Holly Boxspring - was Hannah Montana/miley Cyrus themed, which is a viiiibe - will deff need to come back for their taylor swift brunch! Servers were super sweet and attentive too! read more

Rise Bar - Gay Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Amazing bartenders ! There are 2 ambients with distinct kinds of music each. People are nice and chill, cocktails are fire. Ask for Brian. 100%%% read more

Date: Wednesday, January 10th, 2024 Time: around 7:30pm Group of: 5 *Hot Cider ($10) *Glass Cabernet ($9) *Glass Merlot ($9) *Coke ($4) *Samurai Old Fashioned ($15) *Well Vodka ($9) x5 After dinner, my group wanted to continue the fun. The resident New Yorker took us here, to Rise. I'm old, so I haven't been to a bar / lounge / club in forever. Let alone dance at any kind of venue in forever. (Minus weddings of course!) So this was like reliving my youth! (I used to go dancing at clubs in the Castro in SF waaay back when.) We had been drinking all day, so I didn't drink much here. Just danced my a$$ off like a dorky old lady. It was fun. It wasn't really busy, so we had two tables by the stage-like area and just hung out and danced the night away. Well, at least 2.5 hours away since that's about how long we were here. Fun place to drink, dance, and relive my youth a bit. read more

A bit slow at first but then moved up! Definitely will come back!!!! Love it.. See Zeta!! The best read more

Dinner, drinks and a show?? Bartender made me the best margarita I've had in a while! The entertainment here is top notch. Naturally great vibes. The Queens here really know how to put on a show! Seeing a performance like this in person was exhilarating Money well spent! read more

At friends' behest, decided to give this place another shot, after an embargo due to the bar's all-too-many "S&M" bartenders. Unfortunately, that was a mistake. Everything was just fine on the most recent Memorial Day afternoon until when we were about to leave. Seated in the front by the sidewalk, my friends decided to shimmy past the velvet rope when exiting. This incurred the ire of the server, who proceeded to raise its voice and chastise. Questions: 1) in what world is it okay to yell at customers at such minor "infraction?" Use your words, not attitude, like every other adult; 2) how is the customer supposed to know the roping is for regulatory reasons, rather than aesthetics? Given the heightened competition (kids don't drink & folks don't feel as compelled to congregate at designated bars), the establishment would be well advised to do a better job of staff training. read more

I love this place! I have such a great time every time I come here! The music is great, everyone is so much fun and it's very spacious. They have great brunch with amazing drag queens and the service is always top notch. The food here is also great and they have bottomless specials. This is where you want to end your night for sure it's open late and a great place to enjoy yourself. read more

The people who work and host events here can be so so lovely.. I'd had a very rough day - one of those marathon bad days where you keep running into new problems - and Claudio was so sweet, helpful, and kind with me throughout the night. It's always so special when you can move through tough moments while feeling supported by the community around you read more

This was the last day of a bachelor party and we were struggling. This place SHOWED UP!!! Xavier was the best server! InitaD and zeta jones were incredible and got the entire place dancing! Food was great. Will definitely come back read more

The food was okay but the service and ambiance was amazing! The drinks were good! The energy was amazing! read more

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Came for Easter Brunch and it was AMAZING!! The Queens, Jackie Cox and Paige Turner, were on fire, the atmosphere was fabulously energetic, and the server, Chase, was really wonderful. He was attentive, sweet, and friendly. He wasn't too hard on the eyes either. ;) The food was even better than I'd expected, to be honest. It's a bar, not a restaurant, so I'd adjusted my expectations accordingly, but the Deep French Toast (gotta love the name) and the bacon were delicious!! Really capped off what was a bit of a challenging weekend, on a perfect note!! read more

Rise Bar NYC - The Ultimate Gen Z Hotspot in Midtown! If you're looking for the IT spot in Midtown Manhattan, look no further than Rise Bar! This iconic gay bar has everything you need for an unforgettable night out--whether it's catching up with friends during happy hour (2-for-1 selected drinks), vibing with top DJs on the weekend, or enjoying the best drag brunch in the city. Weekly Programming: Drag Shows that bring the house down DJs spinning the best beats on TWO dance floors Karaoke Nights where you can belt out your favorites by DJ.TK & Emily Mc Late-night vibes as the bar transforms into a full-on nightclub over the weekend With over 8 bartenders on the weekends, you'll never have to wait long for your delicious cocktails. Special shoutout to Savar, Cloudio, Nick, Matt, and the amazing bar staff for always keeping the drinks flowing! The Rise Bar family isn't just about fun--they prioritize safety and inclusivity for everyone in the LGBTQ+ community. From their top-notch security team to their friendly and welcoming staff, you'll always feel safe and comfortable while dancing the night away. ‍ Music & Entertainment: DJs TK & Paul will take your song requests, making sure your crew is entertained all night long! And don't forget--bar food is available until 10 p.m. for those late-night cravings. A huge thank you to the management team (Tracy & Teddy) for creating this amazing space for our community, and a special mention to John Blair and his beloved Beto, whose legacy lives on. Let's continue to support this incredible local business that has given us so many memories over the years! Tag your squad and meet at Rise Bar for the next night out! Marco Delgaty read more

Rise Bar, is fine.... Nothing to write home about. Very modern decor, almost looks a little sterile. I ordered a Paloma, which may not be a popular drink on the East Coast and it was pretty terrible. Bartenders are nice enough and the music was great but I never need to return here. read more

Nonstop laughter singing and dancing!! We came for the performances by Holly and Zeta, and the food was delicious! We were seatEd away from the stage but the performers made their way to us and we did not miss a thing. There was so many opportunities to engage with the queens. Both queens and our server Kyle were phenomenal. If you want a drag brunch, come here!!! read more

Lawrence just charged me $150 from someone else's tab while I only ordered 2 drinks. He has an attitude and charges people incorrectly, horrible service read more

I had so much fun! Drag brunch was great. Highly recommend!! Great performance. I requested a song and Black Widow killed it.

We attended drag brunch with Anita D and Zeta Jones today. Y'all the show was incredible! So entertaining and enjoyable. We LOVED it! We are not usually drag enthusiasts but if I lived in NYC I would be at any show they hosted. Thank you for the fun ladies!! Love, The Atlanta Boys read more

The best drag show in HK! Black Widow and Skye Walker ate downnnnnnnnnnnnnn you must go

Incredible shows, recommend! Great food and energy, the bartenders are super attentive and I had a great time read more

Rise Bar - Gay Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Rise and shine drag brunch was SO FAB!!! Food was good, drinks were flowing.. Come ASAP and tip the queens

Gotten great service from Johnathan & Ricky. Both bartenders did a great job with their service. I'll definitely be back.

Omg I love this spot! The Brazilian bartender Cloudio was so sweet. Def will be back!

Love Rise Bar! It's a must whenever we are in the city. Service is excellent, from security at the door to the bartenders behind the bar. It's always a good time. read more